Pakistan’s 10 greatest triumphs

Pakistan came into existence on 14th August 1947 after the sacrifices of millions of people and as result of staunch, stalwart and unwavering leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This existence was against the plot of British establishment and Hindu leaders of that time, as the latter were advocating Akhand Bharat.

Unfortunately, this is a bitter truth that Pakistan has more foes than friends and is surrounded by two hostile enemies in east and west. Yet, there are some remarkable achievements, which can be celebrated proudly as Pakistani. Here is the list of 10 great triumphs of Pakistan from independence to present.

1) Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Biltistan

Maharaja Hari Singh under the immense pressure of Governor General Lord Mountbatten and Prime Minister of India Nehru signed a fraudulent Instrument of Accession on 26th October 1947, while Standstill Agreement with Pakistan was active and pending with India.Ironically, on the basis of that, India fallaciously claims that the entire Jammu and Kashmir including Gilgit Biltistan is its integral (atootang) part. The brave people of KPK (former NWFP), tribal belt and locals of Kashmir fought valiantly and gallantly against army of Maharaja Hari Singh backed by the Indians and got the freedom for the people of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Biltistan. Now, Pakistan Army is defending this region with the help of local people. This region is one of the most beautiful places in the world and perhaps heaven on our planet. Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit this heaven on earth every year. CPEC route also passes from this region.

2) Accession of Gwadar

At the time of Independence, Gwadar was a part of Oman. It legally acceded to Pakistan on 7th September 1958 after the payment of $3 million to the Sultan of Oman and Muscat, as Prime Minister of Pakistan Malik Feroz Khan Noon addressed the nation on Radio Pakistan. Gwadar has such a huge strategic importance that it is conceived as heart of the CPEC and an internationally recognized deep sea port.

3) Battle of Rann of Kutch

The Battle of Rann of Kutch was fought in April 1965 after small skirmishes between Pakistan and India. Pakistan Army moved forward aggressively nears the border fort of Kanjerkot, achieved great success by penetrating through the Indian defence and captured Biar Bet at Rann of Kutch. India claimed that Pakistan has occupied her territory. Brigadier Iftikhar Khan Janjua was the hero of this battle. On the request of India, there was a ceasefire by April 30. The case was moved to International Tribunal on the intervention of BritishPrime Minister Harold Wilson. On February 19, 1968, the tribunal gave its verdict in favor of Pakistan and she was awarded with a land of 910sqkm approximately.

4) Indo Pakistan War, 1965

The Indian Army attacked Pakistan from three sides to take the revenge of humiliation faced at Rann of Kutch on September 6, 1965 – but the humiliation was amplified as the Pakistan Army, Air force and Navy absolutely destroyed Indian military in all fields and inflicted heavy losses to the enemy. Major Aziz Bhatti, the martyr of the war, was rewarded with the highest military award of Pakistan, Nishan-e-Haider. Every year 6th September is celebrated as Defense Day in Pakistan.

5) New Capital, Islamabad

Development of an entirely new capital only after 22 years of independence was undeniably a marvel. Islamabad was officially made the capital of country on 14th August 1967. It was very well planned by Constantinos A. Doxiadis on grid pattern and is considered one of the most beautiful capitals in the world.

6) Disintegration of Soviet Union

Soviet Union with India had the main role in cessation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan on December 16, 1971. Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 with the ultimate intent of Greater Baluchistan and access to the hot water with the support of India. Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) with the help of Afghan Taliban and USA started a guerilla war against the invasion of Soviet Union in Afghanistan, which culminated in disintegration of Soviet Union into 15 independent republics on December 25, 1991.

7) Cricket World Cup 1992

Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan, two squash players from Pakistan are living legends on the planet. In the field of hockey, Pakistan has unprecedented victories in the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Olympic Games. In Cricket, Pakistan has won T20 World Cup in 2009 and Champions trophy in 2017. But undoubtedly, the best victory in the history of sports of Pakistan was winning the 1992 Cricket World Cup, as the people from Karachi to Khyber and from Kashmir to Gwadar love this game much and suffer from cricket fever.

8) Testing Nuclear Weapons

Pakistan became the 7th nuclear power in the world and the first nuclear power among Islamic countries by testing her nuclear weapons on May 28, 1998 and making her defense invincible. Pakistan has also successfully tested ballistic missiles.

9) Operations Rah-e-Rast and Rah-e-Nijat

Pakistan Army successfully launched the military operation in beautiful Swat District from May 16, 2009 to July 15, 2009 known as Operation Rah-e-Rast and in South Waziristan from June 19, 2009 to December 12, 2009 known as Operation Rah-e-Nijat to get rid of occupied Taliban militants and different terrorist groups. Both these operations were a great military and stretegic success.

10) Operation Zarb-e-Azab

Operation Zarb-e-Azab was started on June 15, 2014 under the supervision of great military General of Pakistan Raheel Sharif.As a result of this, peace was restored in North Waziristan, Baluchistan and Karachi.

Pakistan has got tremendous talent. All these triumphs are due to immense love of the people of Pakistan for their dear homeland and their armed forces. Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in large number and General QamerJavedBajwa has rightly said, “Now it’s time for world to do more against terrorism”.

5 Comments

Major (R) Ashraf Naeem says 3 months ago

M Raza Ilahi. It is a good and informative blog. I differ only in one fact about disintegration or Soviet Union. In Dec 1979 when USSR invaded Afghanistan, Gen Zia decided to block them in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan because if it’s army succeeds in Afghanistan’ terrain then nothing could stop them to reach warm waters. Here the point of difference only is that Americans were not involved in that operation till after watching the situation for more than a year the US President Jimmy Carter offered aid to Zia up Haq who rejected it saying that we don’t need peanut. Beaurucrats said to Gen Zia, sir USA is super power and will be unhappy on this. Zia said, it is their interest to come but they should come on our terms and that’s exactly what happened. That after silence for few weeks they asked Gen Zia to tell them what he wanted. Gen Zia asked for huge and most modern military equipment for our armed forces.